Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy & Service

Monday, May 7, 2012
6:30-7:30 pm
Sonnentag Room in the UW Center for Civic Engagement
UW-Marathon County, 625 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, WI 54401
Free to the Public

Topics to be included:

• What, if anything, has changed in congress since the last election?
• What trends are we seeing in congress and policy today?
• Why is the Federalist and Anti-Federalist debate of 1787 still relevant today?
• What is the importance of Alexander Hamilton’s vision of an “energetic federal government?”
• What is the competing view to Hamilton’s vision?

For more information, contact Connie Nikolai at connie.nikolai@uwc.edu.

Download the flyer. (PDF)

Monday, April 23, 2012
6:30 PM
The Terrace Room (100)
UW-Marathon County
Free event

Dr. Berry will present actual trends in State spending over the past 10 years and include trends in Wisconsin's Economy for that same period. His presentation will demonstrate how the current state of politics affects both. For more information contact Connie Nikolai at connie.nikolai@uwc.edu.
Download the flyer.

This event is sponsored by WIPPS and the CCRCWausau (Center Right Coalition of Wausau).

• Improving results by getting employees to think and act like owners
• Helping employees to gain tools to solve problems and improve business performance
• Increasing the level of trust between management, and employees to improve the company bottom line
• Developing common sense labor agreements that align the interests of the company and its workers

This anniversary lecture was held in honor of Professor Commons, who was born in 1862. An influential economist, reformer and labor historian, Commons drafted innovative social welfare, labor and economic legislation that made Wisconsin a national model for reform. To learn more about John R. Commons’ contributions to the UW System and The Wisconsin Idea, visit: www.wisconsinhistory.org/topics/commons/

The event was free and open to the public, scheduled from 5-7:30 p.m. at 1308 W. Dayton Street in Madison. No RSVP was required. Terry Shelton (608) 262-3038 or shelton@lafollette.Wisc.Edu was the contact.

Sponsors for the event included the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, the Wisconsin School of Business (at the UW- Madison), and the Robert M. LaFollette School of Public Affairs.

View a photo slide show of the event here.

Interested participants will learn valuable skills they can then use to help others in their community. No previous tax experience is necessary. VITA workers will train and certify volunteers to prepare basic tax returns. To learn more, please attend one of the upcoming information sessions on Nov. 10 from 5:30-6:30pm or Nov. 14 from 12-1pm. The sessions will be located at the Marathon County Public Library in the Wausau Room on the first floor. If you cannot attend either session, but would like to volunteer, or have questions, contact Deanna Meek at 715-261-6285.
Download the Information Session Flyer (pdf)
*This event is not sponsored by the Marathon County Public Library.

Both speakers concurred that, whereas in the past, regardless of political affiliation, Congress often seemed to be able to put aside party differences to create policy and law for the good of the nation as a whole, the current climate of entrenched attitudes by both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill is self-defeating for the political process.

WIPPS Director Eric Giordano, who moderated the event, noted that a recent editorial by Wayne Firestone, President of the Hillel Foundation, appearing in the Chronicle of Higher Education, claims that “civility has had a bad run of luck lately” and suggests that to remedy this, America needs to “look to its students”. A generation of young people, Hillel adds, really want to have civil discourse, and want to work together to solve the nation’s problems.

Former Congressman David Obey stated that about every 70 to 80 years, America faces a crisis, and current events seem to validate this pattern. The stakes are high, he added, making people more combative, and the process more contentious. There is an “ebb and flow” in politics, he noted. When he went to Washington D.C. 40 years ago, the disruptors represented the “Left”: derailing the Vietnam War effort was their top priority. Today, the disruptors are on the political “Right,” and they, too, are pursuing an ideological agenda that attempts to structure the voting process to force votes and commit party members to policies set by interests external to Capitol Hill. The unfortunate upshot, he concluded, destroys proper engagement. But current indicators point towards a “more cooperative mindset” among the next generation of voters, whose leaders can return balance to civil discourse.

“The reason why I am hopeful about getting through this period of social and political trouble is because, if you take a look at the new public opinion poll, you will see that usually it's the Baby Boomer generation that is the most polarized. However, you see the younger generation respond to these polling questions in a way that indicates they are much more interested in a communitarian approach to social issues. I think as the younger generation gets more involved, I think that they are going to bring a stronger demand for solutions to problems that involves recognizing the 'other fellow's' problems as well as their own.”

Congressman Petri said the political process changes with the climate of governance. The dual challenges of the Depression and World War Two united the generation of Americans that faced those struggles. But the shift in American politics during the 1960's altered how Democrats and Republicans operated and this situation has carried over to the present day. Also, computerized information technology is reorganizing how business and political structures are managed: the “speeding up” of the voting process has led to a more quantitative approach, with less time to debate the issues. Petri does believe there is still a dedicated staff in Washington D.C. that will listen to the other side even if they don't agree. He, too, believes that the efforts of the next generation will make a difference.

“I know there is an effort to try to find ways for young people to do sponsored service of some kind. There is often reference to the existing civil service programs. The question is how to do that in a larger way that involves people in something constructive and trains them, acknowledging that people often feel there's no real purpose to what they're currently doing or that they're not well-organized for the challenges that face them. It's about accepting that reality, then empathizing with and offering people a chance to really experience something beyond their own self and their own community – where they're learning and trying to do something constructive. I think that should be encouraged.”

A question and answer session concluded the forum. Obey and Petri fielded questions on topics from corporate influence over politics to limiting governmental power, and both Congressmen agreed that balance in all things, and cooperation across the aisle, is key.

Local leaders and educators convened at the webcast to watch, share thoughts, and consider a number of ideas introduced in Palmer’s new book “Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit.” This newly-released work has been in development since 2004-2005 and is comprised of numerous conversations with Palmer’s cohorts, colleagues and supporters, as well as ideas generated at two national conferences on democracy in 2010. “All of this,” says Parker, “helped make the book much better than it would have been had I been working alone.”

The book looks with realism and hope at how to deal with American political tensions for the sake of the common good. Building on his decades of social activism and inner life exploration, Palmer examines ways to restore the invisible infrastructure of American politics by seeking answers to democracy’s dilemmas within and between citizens. He points the way to a politics rooted in the commonwealth of creativity and courage still found among “We the People.”

“Democracy,” writes Palmer, “is a non-stop experiment in the strengths and weaknesses of our political institutions, local communities, and the human heart. The experiment is endless, unless we blow up the lab, and the explosives to do the job are found within us. But so also is the heart’s alchemy that can turn suffering into compassion, conflict into community, and tension into energy for creativity amid democracy’s demands.”

Palmer names the “habits of the heart” that responsible and concerned citizens need to revitalize national politics and shows how these habits can be formed in the everyday venues of their lives. He proposes practical, promising ways to restore a government “of the people, by the people, for the people. Palmer writes: “For those of us who want democracy to survive and thrive, the heart is where the work begins—that grounded place in each of us where we can overcome fear, rediscover that we are members of one another, and embrace the conflicts that threaten our unity as openings to new life for us and for our nation.”

Parker J. Palmer has authored nine books—including the bestsellers The Courage to Teach, Let Your Life Speak, and A Hidden Wholeness— and his writings speak deeply to many people in many walks of life. Palmer is the founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal which, since 1997—working through a network that now numbers one hundred sixty facilitators in thirty states and fifty cities— has offered programs to help teachers, physicians, clergy and others “ rejoin soul and role,” renewing their passion for their work, reclaiming its basic values and deepening their service to others. More than 25,000 people have been directly touched by Courage & Renewal programs and retreats to date, and Palmer’s work has been recognized with ten honorary doctorates and many national awards, including the 2010 William Rainey Harper Award, previously won by Margaret Mead, Paulo Freire, and Elie Wiesel.

Congressman John Lewis, recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom says, “We have been trying to bridge the great divides in this great country for a long time. In this book, Parker J. Palmer urges us to ‘keep on walking, keep on talking’—just as we did in the civil rights movement—until we cross those bridges together.” Bill Shore, founder of Share Our Strength, author, The Imaginations of Unreasonable Men, calls the book “…the most important manifesto in generations for breaking through the divisiveness that has paralyzed our democracy.”

Peter Block and John McKnight, co-authors of The Abundant Community, posit that this new work “…breaks new ground in marrying the capacity of the human heart with the tensions inherent in politics [and] breathes new life into what it means to be a citizen—accountable, compassionate, fiercely realistic.” And Carrie Newcomer, activist and singer-songwriter, The Geography of Light and Before and After, calls the book “…a courageous work that is honest and true, human and humble, glitteringly intelligent and unabashedly hopeful. Palmer gives us constructive language, historical context and a practical vision for how we as individuals and communities can get to the real heart of the matter.”

Over 60 community members representing diverse regional industries and occupations  gathered to hear local, national, and international business experts address global trends and their impact on rapidly shifting markets, especially in Wisconsin. 

Michael Knetter, former Dean of the UW-Madison Business School and current President/CEO of the UW Foundation, related the economic outlook for Wisconsin to current trends in global markets by considering historic and contemporary perspectives. He noted that although the United States still leads in fields such as information, science, engineering, and research and development, in the future, specialization will affect every region and country. Knetter identified the central Wisconsin area as a crossroads with a naturally diverse economic base and a high degree of social cohesion, and advocated observing trends in employment sectors, taking advantage of local geographical and social potential, charting emerging fields and continuing to refine currently thriving industries in order to best position central Wisconsin businesses to succeed.

Dick Johnson, Executive Vice President & Group President of Retail Stores Foot Locker, Inc., (an international industry with  Marathon County connections) endorsed Wisconsin’s work ethic and emphasis on education.  He stressed the importance of acquiring bright young talent, adopting new technologies on the horizon, and embracing change. In his estimation, central Wisconsin is unique, and he told local business leaders, “I think we can create a real opportunity to win here.”

Duane Irwin, President and CEO of Aspirus, Inc., explained that although health care is regional in nature, it too is affected by the increasingly rapid pace of global change in technology, information, and human needs. Communication, he said, is essential in making smooth transitions as the industry adapts to these changes.  Jean Burgener, Vice President of Post Acute Care Services, shared change-adaptive examples of how Aspirus is using emerging technologies.
           
Glen Tellock. Chairman, President, and CEO of the Manitowoc Company, Inc.  advocated using risk analysis to  navigate change in industrial markets. Partnering and flexibility is essential as companies compete for talent and resources, he observed, and effective preparation and communication will enable company vision to triumph when faced with climates of resistance.

A question and answer session and a networking lunch followed the conference presentations.

Read the report by student intern Royce Gustafson. (DOC) (PDF)
The Conference Brochure PDF (3.66mb)

Ward explained that although the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has steadily risen from 1950 to 2010, the overall global share of the U.S. GDP has been going down over time. In 1950, the U.S. GDP was 35 percent of the Global GDP, in 1970 it was 27 percent, and in 2010 it was 22 percent. 

In addition, there are currently 338 million people in North America that belong to the “middle class” demographic. Even as global populations rise, this number is expected to decline to 322 million by 2030. With a steady rise of foreign markets over the last 60 years, the base of the global middle class is shifting overseas.

U.S. Exports in 2010 were 1.28 trillion dollars, while imports were 1.91 trillion, and the United State GDP in 2010 was 14.5 trillion dollars with 2.1 trillion of that coming from DFI. The outsourcing of United States jobs to foreign countries combined with increased global demand for key middle class resource markets are part of a trend to which Wisconsin is not immune. 

Two companies based out of Wisconsin, Schneider Transport and the Manitowoc Corporation, however, have got it right, said Ward, and are building plants in China. Why? To ensure that the plants are located right next to the market. As Ward noted, “I always say 'where's the market'? You know that old World War One saying: 'over there... over there...' Well, it's true.”

But according to a UW Task Force on International Economic Development, Wisconsin could do more - a lot more - and needs to take advantage of direct foreign investment because of the rise of global markets, the need for new jobs, and the opportunities presented by Wisconsin's regional assets and international connections.

One impediment may be fears and concerns over DFI, such as foreign companies stealing technologies, and the influence of foreign money on the U.S. economy and politics. These fears need to be put to rest, Ward assured his audience: in truth, Wisconsin is benefiting from foreign firms bringing their own capital, which infuses money into the State's economy, creates local jobs, and produces goods that can be exported to foreign markets. 

Wisconsin currently has foreign investments that come from 27 different countries, primarily in the European Union, Canada and Japan, and primarily in the manufacturing and shipping industries. Examples of Wisconsin foreign investments include: Alliance Laundry Systems, owned by Ontario Teacher's Retirement with a DFI of $450 million; Seda International (Italy), with a packaging plant in Kenosha for a DFI of $76 million; and Thomas Magnete GmbH (Germany), with a manufacturing plant in Brookfield and a DFI of $3 million. 

Part of the draw in Wisconsin, surprisingly, is its climate, adds Ward. Weather and natural hazard risks are relatively stable, compared to many other regions of the world. An internet search for the “world map of natural hazards” indicates that Wisconsin sits in a safety zone, immune to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires and other natural hazards.

Plus, Wisconsin's resources are well-suited to attract DFIs. Ward noted that members of the global middle class drive the world's economy because they, as the largest demographic of consumers, need food, fuel, feed, and fiber. The state is well-positioned to meet these needs because of its long-standing manufacturing expertise, water treatment technology, and well-regarded educational system. The UW System, says Ward, is a particular asset, for such a powerhouse research facility provides not only expertise but also access points and the opportunity to create a DFI dialogue through cultural understanding and high-level data analysis.

Entrepreneurial financing, coupled with a knowledgeable workforce and university connections to foreign partnerships, Ward said, are keys to optimizing Wisconsin's future in attracting direct foreign investments. Further DFI can be encouraged through:

• Creating "Sister Cities” that Wisconsin shares with other countries around the world.
• Contacts with UW Alumni living abroad
• Cultivating further relationships in areas where the State has international college exchange programs
• Tapping into the cultural heritage of WI residents
• Focusing on emerging markets

In this manner, the groundwork can continue to be laid to improve Wisconsin's standing on the increasingly competitive world stage.

Powerpoint presentation (2.5mb)

With 20 participants attending the first in this series of deliberations, co-moderators John Greenwood and Ian Reese delineated three approaches to open the discussion. Approach One proposed to solve the debt crisis by raising taxes and cutting spending. Approach Two advocated making systemic changes within the government to increase large-scale fiscal responsibility, and Approach Three advocated the encouragement of economic growth by investing in research, development, infrastructure and science education.

Although NIF deliberations are not tied to arriving at "common ground" among participants, discussants at the UWMC forum agreed that the national debt problem is complex and demands more citizen voice to address its many components. In this fashion, legislators can learn what their constituents are willing to sacrifice in order to solve the debt problem. The solution must be found across all levels - personal, local, regional, state, national and global. For their part, legislators must agree to practice civility and prioritize the development of a comprehensive and equitable budget plan that calls for concessions from all segments of society while taking into account the limitations of the poorest sectors of our nation.

Results from this and other events in the series will be shared with state and national policy makers. All members of the public are encouraged to attend upcoming events in this series, and all perspectives are welcome. Check the Upcoming Events location on our website homepage for other locations of upcoming National Debt deliberations throughout the state.

For more information, contact Connie Nikolai (715-261-6368 or connie.nikolai@uwc.edu).
Download a copy of the flyer here.
A Nation In Debt -- WIPPS intern report PDF download DOCX download